Balloon handle and whistle



Dec. 29, 1953 H. A. LONGINO 2,663,968

BALLOON HANDLE AND WHISTLE Filed June 27, 195] 2/ /2 H W 22 pm 29 l INVENTOR. Hu 972fl.Z0nj in0 m my mw ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALLOON HANDLE AND WHISTLE Hugh A. Longino, O'Donnell, Tex. 7 Application June 2'7, 1951, Serial No. 233,861

2 Claims. I I

This invention relates to toy balloons formed of rubber or other suitable material, and in particular a handle over which the neck of a balloon is stretched and a whistling element freely positioned in the balloon and adapted to be rotated around the inner surface of the balloon by a whirling action of the balloon.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for inserting a handle in the neck of a toy balloon with a valve in the handle for preventing the escape of air or gas in the balloon and also means for incorporating a whistle in the balloon.

Various attempts have been made to improve the novelty of toy balloons such as by inserting whistles or other noise making devices in the neck of the balloon but such devices are only adapted for temporary use and upon release of the balloon rapid deflation thereof actuates the whistle or noise making device and the balloon collapses. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates means for holding a balloon inflated with a noise making device on the inside, with the neck of the balloon stretched over a rigid member adapted to form a handle and with a check valve positioned in the handle. To further increase the novelty of the balloon a stem having a vacuum cup in the end thereof extends through the balloon from the handle and a cap is placed over the outer end of the handle, so that the handle forms a supporting stem.

The object of this invention is, thereforato provide means adapted to be incorporated in a toy balloon whereby the balloon may remain inflated and whereby a whistling sound is produced as the balloon is spun around by the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide supporting and noise making devices that are adapted to be incorporated in toy balloons of the conventional type without changing the design or arrangement of the balloon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy balloon having a handle with a check valve therein and also having a whistling element in the body of the balloon, which is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a substantially cylindrical handle having a tapering outer surface with a ball check valve in the handle, with a stem having a vacuum cup on the outer end extended from the handle and with a whistling element adapted to be placed in a balloon stretched over the stem and handle.

Other features and advantages of the inven- 2 tion will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved balloon.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the balloon, handle, and whistling element positioned in the balloon.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the handle of the balloon taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the handle of the balloon taken on line l4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the whistle element adapted to be placed in the balloon.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improvedballoon of this invention includes a substantially spherical section 10 having a neck I I extended from one point with a bead l 2 around the end of the neck, a handle it adapted to be inserted in the neck of the balloon, a stem l4 extended from the handle and having a suction cup IS on the extended end, a ball check valve l6 positioned in a passage l! in the handle adapted to coact with a valve seat l8 positioned in the passage, and a whistling element i9 adapted to be placed in the balloon.

The balloon I6 is of the conventional type and, as illustrated in the drawings, is preferably shaped to form a sphere when inflated and the neck H which extends from one side is stretched over the handle I3 with the bead I2 on the end of the neck positioned in a recess 20 spaced from the end of the handle.

A bead 2| extends around the end or" the handle and a cap 22 with an arcuate annular flange 23 extended therefrom is positioned over the end of the handle with the flange 23 stretched over the bead 2| on the end of the handle and also over the bead l2 on the end of the neck H. The cap 22 is also provided with an opening 25 in which air may be blown through the handle into the balloon to inflate the balloon. The cap 22 is also provided with an extended neck 25 on the inner end of which the valve seat I 8 is positioned, and as shown in Figure 2, the neck 25 extends into the upper end of the passage ll. A portion of the handle i3 is provided with grooves 27 and 28 through which the air passes into the interior of the balloon, the grooves 21 and 28 being provided in the lower section of the opening H. A partition 26 is positioned in the opening I! of the handle l3 and is provided with grooves 21 and 28'. The upper ends of the grooves 21 and 28 are in communication with the grooves 21' and 28' in the partition 26, as shown in Fig. 1.

The suction cup I5 is provided with a hub 29 into which the end or the stem 14 extends and with the suction cup positioned on the end of the stem, as shown in Figure 2, the outer surface thereof is irictionally engaged with the inner surface of the balloon l0 whereby the end of the stem remains in the position shown in Figure 2 whereby the stem extends substantially through the center of the balloon.

It will be understood that any suitable noise making device may be used in the balloon, how ever, in the design shown a whistling disc [9 having bulging side members with openings 30 therein is provided and the edges of the side members are provided with flanges 31 by which the members are secured together by crimping :or :other suitable means.

With the parts arranged in this manner the device it: is first inserted in the balloon and the suction cup E5 on the endof the stem Hi is placed through the neck of the balloonas the neck-oi the balloon is stretched over thehandle I3 as shown in Figure 2. The partitionifiwillprevent the end of the stem is being inserted into the opening il in the handle i3 toofar so that it will interfere with the operation of the ball check valve it. The partition 26 will also ,preventthe loss of the check valve 15 from the opening 'ii prior to the insertion of the stem M or should the stem i l be removed when it isnecessary to replace the balloon to for any reason. The cap 22 is then positioned over the end. or the handle and the balloon is inflated by blowing air, gas, or the like into the interior of theballoon. The ball check valve i8 prevents the escape of the air, gas, or the like so that the balloon remains inflated.

With the balloon inflated with gas it will stand upwardly on the handle with the handle forming a stem.

It will also be understood thatthe balloonmay be formed of any other suitable shape and other means may be provided .for forming a noise therein.

With the device shown in the drawing'the'balloon may be spun around by the handle with the handle held in the hand of an operator and in this spinning action the device 1 9 travels around the inner surface of the balloon producing a whistling sound.

The balloon may be deflated by inserting a pin or the like through the opening 24' whereby the ball 16 may be held away from the-seat 18.

The stem id is freely held in the handle 23 and it will be understood that both the stem l4 and noise maker 19 may be omitted if desired.

It will be understood that other modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy balloon the combination which comprises a substantially hollow elastic body having a neck extended from one side, a handle having an arcuate tapering outer surface positioned in the neck of the body, said handle having a longitudinally disposed passage extended therethroug'h with a valve seat in said passage, a ball positioned in the passage and adapted to coact with the valve seat to prevent passing outwardly through the handle, a removable stern extended from the handle to the opposite side or" the hollow elastic body, a suction cup on the extended end or the stem and positioned to engage the inner suri'ace of the said body, said handle having grooves therein positioned adjacent the periphery of thestein, and a disc having spaced side walls with openings therethrough providing a whistling element positioned in the said hollow elastic body.

2. In a toy balloon, thev combination which comprisesa substantially hollow. elastic body having a neck extended from one side, ahandle .having an arcuate tapering outer surface positioned in the neck of the body, said handle having a longitudinally disposed passage extended therethrough with a valve seat in said passage, a ball positioned in the passage and adapted to coact with the valve seat to prevent air passing outwardly through the handle, a removable stem extended from the handle to the opposite side of the hollow elastic body, a suction cup on the extended end of the stem and positioned to engage the inner surface of the said body, said handle having grooves therein positioned adjacent the periphery of the stems-a disc having spaced side walls with openings therethrough providing a whistling element positioned in the said hollow elastic body, and a closure cap with an air passage tnerethrough positioned on the end of the handle.

HUGH A. LONGINO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 565,747 Hawthorneet a1. Aug. 11,1896 1,020,367 Patterson Mar. 12, 19.12 1,137,385 Creque. Aprp27, 1915 1,315,955 Gill Sept. 16, 1919 1,481,594 Fitzgerald Jan. 22, 1924 1,561,721 Humphrey "Nov. 1'7, 1925 11,745,576 Kempien Feb. 4, 1930 2,549,428 Costea Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 61,785 Austria Oct. 25, 1913 488,336 Germany Jan.;6, 1930 

